Italian Cypress from Nursery (newer to Bonsai)

[dalberti]

Hello everyone,

This is my second topic on this forum. My first one explained that I am very new to the art of Bonsai, but I am very willing to learn. I've been reading like crazy the past few months and I have bought a Dawn Redwood Bonsai a few weeks ago and I am watching it very closely like it's my baby (hey, I'm single, I've got to fill in the gaps somehow!)

Anyway, I bought an Italian Cypress from a local nursery here. I live in Southern Utah and it's about as hot as the sun right now so I cannot find any "common bonsai species" that are sold. There's quite a bit of information on the Italian Cypress for Bonsai, but I'd love to know opinions on starting one - specifically links to any helpful websites that I haven't been able to find. A lot are very basic and only have a couple sentences on how to start the journey.

Maybe I'm doing the searching the wrong way, I don't know, I'm very new.

I've purchased the plant and have just been monitoring water levels and have not done anything to it since buying it. This is why I'm posting here for any information or links that anyone can lead me to.

I was hesitant to post because it's slightly embarrassing to jump into a pool where you barely know how to swim and everyone else seems to be a pro! But I'd rather be embarrassed than to not learn at all.

Here are a couple of photo's that I quickly snapped.

Hope this helps, and I appreciate anyone who has read this.

 

[M. Frary]

everyone else seems to be a pro

 

[JoeR]

Does the same nursery not have hinoki cypress for sale? My local lowes and walmart have them, the standard and some fancy cultivar I dont remember. I havent bought them because they are too expensive for not so large trunks but if you dig you could probably find one.

 

[M. Frary]

No one here is a pro. Just some are good. And some think they are.

 

[dalberti]

Does the same nursery not have hinoki cypress for sale? My local lowes and walmart have them, the standard and some fancy cultivar I dont remember. I havent bought them because they are too expensive for not so large trunks but if you dig you could probably find one.

I am 90 percent sure that they do not. I'll definitely double check when I stop by there next!

M. Frary - haha! Good to know.

 

[dalberti]

I just checked with three of the nurseries around here - no hinoki cypress. How unfortunate!

 

[Mr GeaRbOx]

I just checked with three of the nurseries around here - no hinoki cypress. How unfortunate!

I'm near you and there aren't any down this way either. I'm pretty sure they need some humidity. Too bad, as I have always admired that cultivar.

 

[dalberti]

Right? Kind of sad. I guess we're in an area where a lot of Bonsai artists are not. Ha.

 

[Geo]

dalberti:

This is a Graham Potter video featuring Italian Cypress.
Cheers,

 

[Geo]

Well I am getting error occurred. If it doesn't play,just google Italian Cypress Bonsai and the Potter video will be right there.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Italian cypress is a good choice for your area, they can survive the low humidity and high heat. Hinoki - which is not Cupressus but the related genus Chamaecyparis will not tolerate the high heat combined with the low humidity. The Italian Cypress is the one of the few Cupressus species that can take desert heat. There are a couple other Cupressus (Cypress) species that are desert trees, and your local garden center will stock them. If you don't see them there, it's probably too hot where you are, or too cold in winter. Shopping local and collecting local is the best way to get trees adapted to growing outdoors in your area. Warning big box stores sometimes will stock climate inappropriate material, but any local landscape nursery will know what can take your climate.

The Graham Potter video is great. try this for a direct link

In general pruning advice and wiring advice for Monterey Cypress, Lawson's Cypress and other Cupressa species will more or less will apply to Italian Cypress. Italian Cypress is rather different from Hinoki in growth pattern and needs.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Italian Cypress is not tolerant of northern USA winters, it's not the cold, it is that northern winters are cold and wet. The southwest is where they do best. And this is part of why you don't see them much as bonsai in the USA.

Second reason you don't see them much is they like to grow up as a long narrow spire of a tree. The only styles it will take without a fight is upright. Forget trying a cascade, the tree won't do it. But this in not a big deal, they do upright styles very well and should be used that way.

For the rest of the country, juniper looks somewhat similar and is the "silly putty" of the bonsai world, very few limits to styling choices. So this is another reason you don't see Italian cypress being used much. But there is no reason not to try. Go for it.

 

[Sagebrush]

I found an Italian Cypress at the nursery. Oddly it had a large upright branch that was only 6" shorter than the main trunk. Growing straight up like the trunk. Wired into a cascade and cut the main trunk way back to get a leader for a crown. I'm in El Paso and these grow in many home Landscapes. We'll see what happens

 

[dbonsaiw]

hey, I'm single, I've got to fill in the gaps somehow

Hey, I'm married with kids and also do bonsai to fill the gaps.

I was hesitant to post because it's slightly embarrassing to jump into a pool where you barely know how to swim and everyone else seems to be a pro! But I'd rather be embarrassed than to not learn at all.

One of the great things about BNuts is that the pros are more than willing to answer our questions again and again. I ask questions incessantly and haven't been thrown off the site (yet). In fact, lots of folks are more than happy to share their experiences and assist where they can. And don't kid yourself, there are tons of us nubes on here asking questions and doing stupid shit (repeatedly). We are all learning. And your questions end up receiving answers that the rest of us learn from.

 

[rockm]

I found an Italian Cypress at the nursery. Oddly it had a large upright branch that was only 6" shorter than the main trunk. Growing straight up like the trunk. Wired into a cascade and cut the main trunk way back to get a leader for a crown. I'm in El Paso and these grow in many home Landscapes. We'll see what happens

The reason the tree had an upright branch only slightly shorter than the main branch is that Italian cypress is what's called "fastigiate" in growth, that it, all branches tend to grow at extreme upright angles almost parallel to the trunk. They are basically evergreen pillars.

Because of that habit, I'd be watchful of wiring one of the branches into a cascade. It may not be successful as you're fighting the tree's natural growth pattern. May work, however, just something to keep in mind.

 

[Michael P]

Just an interesting note on Italian cypress: the extremely fastigate form is actually a cultivar, the only form of the species usually seen in the nursery trade. The wild type (or ancestral species) has a much wider conical form typical of many conifers.

 

[Sagebrush]

The reason the tree had an upright branch only slightly shorter than the main branch is that Italian cypress is what's called "fastigiate" in growth, that it, all branches tend to grow at extreme upright angles almost parallel to the trunk. They are basically evergreen pillars.















































































































M















Because of that habit, I'd be watchful of wiring one of the branches into a cascade. It may not be successful as you're fighting the tree's natural growth pattern. May work, however, just something to keep in mind.































































We'll see. Never had one in the yaret c































































































































d but







The reason the tree had an upright branch only slightly shorter than the main branch is that Italian cypress is what's called "fastigiate" in growth, that it, all branches tend to grow at extreme upright angles almost parallel to the trunk. They are basically evergreen pillars.







Because of that habit, I'd be watchful of wiring one of the branches into a cascade. It may not beI c successful as you're fighting the tree's natural growth pattern. May work, however, just something to keep in mind.



I guess I will see. Never had one in the yard but I can see around 50+ in other backyards. I do know spider mites can kill them as evidence of the 10 across the street completely dying in 2 seasons. People did know what got them but after the fact.